Ubisoft has acknowledged reports of the company potentially being bought out and going private, but hasn't confirmed either way whether it's actually going to happen.
Last week, it was reported by Bloomberg that the Guillemot brothers (Ubisoft's founders) and Chinese technology company Tencent are considering options to stabilize and boost the value of Ubisoft, and one of those options would reportedly see a team-up to take the company private. It's claimed that alternatives are being considered, too, and that the discussion is still in its early stages, but Ubisoft has now responded to the reports.
In a statement sent to VGC, a Ubisoft spokesperson acknowledges "recent press speculation regarding potential interests around the Company," and somewhat vaguely says: "It regularly reviews all its strategic options in the interest of stakeholders and will inform the market if and when appropriate." Beyond that, it's reiterated that Ubisoft's management is focused on "executing its strategy" centered around the "core verticals" of games as a service-native experiences, as well as open world adventures.
- Ubisoft "won't comment" on reports of Tencent buyout, only says it's "exploring different options" and "will inform the market if and when a transaction materializes"
- Ubisoft's revenue is way down, but Assassin's Creed Shadows might save it as preorders track alongside Odyssey's 10 million-copy haul
So then, it's not a 'no,' but it's certainly not a 'yes' either. To be fair, if what the Bloomberg report says is true, it could be that the company still hasn't actually decided internally what it wants to do yet, in which case it'd be understandable not to announce anything firm.
Either way, it does seem plausible that Ubisoft would want to strengthen itself. Open world game Star Wars Outlaws released in August, and its sales were "softer than expected" for the company. On top of that, Assassin's Creed Shadows, which was supposed to release just next month, has now been pushed back to February, so that's a major release for the developer that's now left 2024 altogether. Only time will tell, but there's no doubt that any full buyout of Ubisoft would be a very big deal.
Be sure to check out our roundup of upcoming Ubisoft games to see everything the developer has in the works.
